“The Zimbabwean police wishes to inform members of the public that in light of the declaration of the state of emergency, the police in Harare will not allow any public gatherings,” Charamba said.

The outbreak in Harare’s high density suburbs of Glenview and Budiriro was sparked by burst sewer pipes which contaminated water from community boreholes and open wells used by residents who rely on such water due to shortage of potable water from the city council.

Health authorities have since banned the selling of meat and fish by vendors and have also suspended classes at a primary school in the affected area.

Zimbabwe’s last major cholera outbreak in 2008 killed more than 4,000 people.

Harare city council has been struggling to provide sufficient and clean water to the residents over the past decade due to insufficient capacity and shortage of foreign currency to purchase water treatment chemicals.